• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, April 14, 2016

It may be tough times for luxury retailers, but Saks Fifth Avenue’s new campaign is coming up roses, poppies, tulips and honeysuckle. 

The retailer is tapping into flower power again this year for its spring push, romancing upscale shoppers by turning the New York flagship into a “Secret Garden.” The effort, in partnership with MasterCard, requires 10 full-grown climbing trees, 120 boxwood topiaries and some 1,000 paper flowers, all hand-made. 

The campaign kicks off later this month, starting with high tea served on the sidewalk on Fifth Avenue, meant to entice shoppers inside, where 30 vendors are offering themed merchandise. Against a floral façade, many of the participating beauty and fragrance brands, including Dior, Aerin, Kiehl’s Since 1851, Lancôme, Burberry, Chanel, Clinique, Clarins, Nars, Jo Malone, Dolce & Gabbana, Guerlain, and Diptyque, are offering complimentary services.

Those who want more can venture up to the fifth-floor café, tricked out with living floral walls for the campaign. And Saks plans to create a separate experience in Bryant Park early next month.

This is the second year it has used the Glam Gardens idea, and to add to the campaign’s social edge this time around, the retailer is also offering custom 360-degree YouTube videos, which let shoppers plant themselves in the store’s windows, controlling their perspective point within the various gardens. It’s also hooking up with SnapChat, using a filter that lets people nearby filter photos with customized Glam Gardens pictures. And it’s encouraging fans to post their favorite shots to the store’s Instagram account.

It has been an uneasy period for high-end department stores, with consumers a little more cautious, and increasingly shopping online. In its most recent quarterly results, Hudson’s Bay Co., which owns Saks, says Saks same-store sales fell 1.2%, with strength in menswear and cosmetics, with weakness in women's ready-to-wear. At rival Neiman Marcus, comparable revenue dropped 2.4%. And at Nordstrom, same-store sales in its most recent quarter managed just 1% gain.

But HBC has outlined a bold expansion plan for Saks,  announcing seven new stores (including its first foray into Canada.) And it’s been trying to up the brand’s digital presence, recently launching a new 24/7 personalized online shopping service. Associates can create customizable pages, with curated selections that they can discuss via live chat, email or scheduled appointments. Email and social media tools are built into a mobile app.